


carry on quietly and slow

by smudgythoughts



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Crossroads Deals & Demons, M/M, Season/Series 13 Speculation, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Winchester Coping Mechanisms, could be read as gen - Freeform, or should i say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 10:58:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11667744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smudgythoughts/pseuds/smudgythoughts
Summary: Dean tries to make a crossroads deal to save Cas. Instead of a demon, he's greeted by a reaper.





	carry on quietly and slow

Dean was at a crossroads. He hadn’t even bothered to make a Devil’s trap. The only picture of himself he’d had on him had been one Cas had taken. His fingernails were caked with dirt. He didn’t remember digging the hole. He was on his knees on the ground, staring at the callouses on his hands. And he was screaming, _praying_ for a demon to hear him. He’d been screaming for hours with no answer. His voice was hoarse, but he didn't care. Dean wasn't sure he could care about anything ever again.

“How _pitiful_ ,” a deep voice called out, and Dean looked up to see a middle-aged black man in a sharp gray suit and white tie standing in front of him. “The great Dean Winchester, on his knees and begging. Do you use teeth?”

Dean struggled to his feet. “Let’s cut all the insulting crap. Are you a demon?”

“Reaper. My name is Neo. It’s a bit of a mess in hell, with Lucifer MIA, and Crowley dead.” He accompanied his words with a sneer. “Which is because of you, isn’t it? Like everything?”

“Not in the mood for small talk, Graef,” Dean said gruffly, instinctively tacking on a Casanova reference. “Cas has a human soul, right? Can you bring him back or not?”

“It’s not a question of can I, but _will I_. I am more than capable of it, but I have a distaste for you Winchesters.”

“Well, buddy, put that aside for a few minutes. And besides, Cas isn’t a Winchester. You’re doing this for him, not me,” Dean said, voice on the edge of pleading.

“Now, that’s where you’re wrong, Dean. Castiel is just as much a Winchester as dear old Mary. She married into the family, didn’t she?” Before Dean had a chance to call Neo out on what he was implying, the reaper went on, “Also, Castiel killed my dear friend Billie, so I haven’t really taken a shine to him either.”

Dean felt his hope begin to dissipate in front of his very eyes. _Cosmic consequences_. “But… I’ll give you _anything_! My-my life, my _soul_. Just take it!”

“No,” Neo said frankly.

Dean felt his bottom lip began to wobble, and he struggled to keep in his tears. “W-why not?”

“Because I’m getting a bigger enjoyment out of watching you suffer. You hurt beautifully, Dean Winchester. Have you considered acting?”

Dean lunged forward - to stab Neo with the angel blade hanging on his belt, to beg him to stay and make the deal, he wasn’t sure - but the reaper had disappeared.

He felt down, knees scraping against the rough ground. His tears fell like hail. His internal thoughts were a constant stream of _please God, bring him back to me_ , but no one answered. Not that he’d been expecting them to. He gripped the tan trench coat bundled on the ground with shaky hands. The only sound was that of crickets chirping in the crisp night air and his pounding heart.


End file.
